An Unexpected Gentleman
by Connie Weasley
Summary: *ON HIATUS* Hermione has just split up with Ron, and finds comfort with an unexpected gentleman. R
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I do not own any of the characters, locations or anything else to do with Harry Potter. The only thing I own is the idea for the fic. Enjoy!**_

Hermione looked across the room. She was so not seeing this! Ron was her boyfriend! He couldn't be kissing, no, down right snogging Parvati... Could he? She stared in complete horror, her jaw low in shock. This was stupid! Pulling out her wand, she pointed it at the pair in the corner and muttered "Avis." Immediately, a small flock of twittering blue birds flew straight at them and began pecking at Ron and Parvati's heads. They broke apart instantly, Parvati screaming while Ron swatted at the birds, completely oblivious to the witch standing only yards away, her wand pointed straight at them. She smiled slightly, ruefully. Then, pocketing her wand, Hermione turned in a swirl of black silk and walked out of the door. She calmly walked down the hall, and as soon as she turned the corner, she ran as fast as she could up to her bedroom.

She felt sick. Physically and emotionally. How could Ron do this to her? After everything they'd been through together. Hell, she'd SLEPT with the bastard. She wasn't sad. She didn't cry. She was angry, no she was furious. And so she screamed. It was quite lucky she'd thought to put a Silencing charm on the room, really. Otherwise the whole of Number 12, Grimmauld Place would have been banging on the door by now. As it was, when she finished her tirade, there was just a faint knock on the door.

"Go away!" Hermione yelled, annoyed that someone was trying to disturb her. There was another, slightly more forceful rap on the door, and Hermione strolled to it and wrenched it open. Harry stood there, his hand raised as if to knock again, his bright emerald eyes registering slight surprise at his best friend's rather flushed face and glazed eyes.

"Mione, what's wrong?" he asked gently, lowering his hand to her shoulder. As she looked at him, all of the fight went out of her and she slowly collapsed to her knees at his feet, the tears finally beginning to seep from behind her tightly closed eyelids. She felt Harry's arms lift her gently from the floor, and carry her to her bed, the door closing behind him. He leant against the headboard with her on his lap as she cried helplessly into his chest. Neither knew how long they sat like that, Harry gently rubbing Hermione's back in slow, rhythmic circles as he whispered silly little nothing's into her hair.

After what seemed like an age to Harry, the girl in his arms lifted her head and roughly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. He shifted slightly and dug around in his pocket, producing a handkerchief, which he duly presented her. Hermione took the piece of cloth in her shaking hands and quickly blew her nose, before moving to sit next to her friend, leaning against his shoulder. He held out his hand, and she took it.

Harry looked at their reflection in the floor-length mirror that stood opposite Hermione's bed. Her face was blotchy and tear streaked, but she looked a lot calmer than she had when she'd first opened the door. He wondered if now was the best time to ask her why she was in this state, as she was obviously still distraught, despite her quiet exterior. However, he needed to know, so he took a chance.

"Mione?" he said tentatively. She met his eyes in the mirror, and gave him a watery smile. "Harry?" Her voice was harsh and cracked from all the crying.

"What happened?" Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She'd known Harry would ask, but she still didn't quite know what had happened herself. She squeezed his hand tightly, and felt his grasp tighten in response. Openeing her eyes, she turned and held his green gaze with her coffee one. He smiled slightly, telling her with his eyes that he was there for her, no matter what was wrong. That look gave her strength, and she took another deep breath, then spoke.

"I found Ron and Parvati in the drawing room," she said softly. Harry frowned slightly in confusion. "They were kissing." All at once, her best friend's face turned from one of mild confusion, to a mixture of shock and outrage. Letting go of her hand, he leapt from the bed and started pacing around the room.

"That stupid bloody prat! I'll kill him!" He shouted loudly. Again, Hermione was grateful for the Silencing charm. She got up and walked to stand infront of Harry. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked him straight in the eyes again.

"No you won't, Harry James Potter. He is your best friend, and you will not kill him. For Ginny's sake." At the mention of his fiance, Harry's tense posture loosened slightly, and his eyes became sad.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione. Are you okay? Do you want me to at least go and punch him for you?" he said. "I would, you know. He may be my best friend, but you're like my sister." Hermione smiled slightly at the sentiment and squeezed Harry's shoulder's slightly.

"No Harry, you can't punch him. But you can do something for me," she said slowly, still not sure if she wanted to do what she was thinking of. Harry looked determined. "Anything. You name it, and I''ll do it," he said with conviction.

"I don't think he knows I saw yet, so will you come and find him with me so I can tell him it's over?" Hermione asked. She knew what she was asking was a lot, as Ron might think that Harry was siding with her if he were to see him with Hermione in this situation. But Harry just smiled encouragingly and nodded, then took her hand in his and led her from the room.

Ron was sitting in the kitchen having some scratches from the birds healed by his mother. The other Weasley children - Bll, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ginny were all sitting around the large kitchen table, laughing at their brother's misfortune at having a flock of birds attack him. Ron didn't tell them the reason why, as he didnt know himself. He had been happily snogging Parvati Patil in the drawing room, when all of a sudden a dozen little birds had started pecking at his head. He recalled a smiliar event in his sixth year, when Hermione had caught him and Lavender Brown making out in a deserted classroom. But Hermione couldn't possibly have seen Ron and Parvati. She would have done a lot worse than send birds after him now, if she had.

Molly had just finished patching up her son, when Harry came into the room with a teary eyed Hermione clutching at his arm.

"Hermione, dear, what's happened?" Molly fussed, immediately forgetting her son and bustling over to the girl whom she considered a second daughter, and hoped would soon be a real daughter, if Ron ever pulled his finger out and asked her to marry him. But Hermione wasn't looking at her. She was staring fixedly over Molly's shoulder, straight at Ron. Harry was glaring menacingly at his friend, and moved further into the kitchen, dropping Hermione's hand.

"How's your head, Ron?" he asked nastilly, and no one in the room missed the coldness in both his voice and his demeanour as he addressed his best friend. Every eye in the room turned to fix on the lanky red head who was sitting at the table with a few last scapes on his forehead. He frowned, first at Harry then at Hermione. He took in her bloodshot eyes, and the tear tracks on her cheeks, and managed to put two and two together.

"Merlin's pants..." he murmered, his eyes widening in fear. Harry smirked, a look that did not usually grace his features. "Is that all you have to say to your _girlfriend_, Ron?" he said acidly. Hermione moved past Molly and began to walk slowly towards Ron. He had the manners to stand up and look sheepish, as his ears went a bright shade of scarlet. She stopped directly opposite him on the other side of the table. She didn't want to be next to him. She wanted some sort of barrier between them. She stared straight into his brown eyes, and smiled thinly.

"Shall you explain to your family why I'm dumping you Ron? Or shall I?" Every Weasley in the room, excepting Ron, took a sharp collective breath, and stared at the pair. Ron's face turned the same colour as his ears, and he looked away. Hermione's heart was hammering in her chest. "I take it I'm telling them?" It was a rhetorical question. She turned to face the family that had practically adopted her, and smiled at them sadly.

"I'm afraid Ron and I are no longer going out," she said quietly. Every eye was on her, the same shocked expression on every face. "You see, Ron has another girlfriend." At this, uproar ensued. Molly was around the table in a flash, Ron's ear firmly between her fingers as she demanded to know what in the name of Merlin he had done. Fred and George were yelling their dissaproval. Bill, Charlie and Percy were all trying to give simultaneous lectures to their little brother in very loud voices, and Ginny was trying to get Harry to let her go so she could attack her brother for daring to hurt Hermione this way. In all of the noise, Hermione was silent, watching this family lovingly. The time she spent with them was as precious to her as the time she spent with her own family.

Someone taped her on the shoulder, and she turned to find Remus Lupin and his wife Tonks standing behind her. Tonks grinned and hugged Hermione, her bubblegum pink hair as bright as ever. Remus smiled gently, and nodded at the scene behind her.

"What did we miss?" he asked, his voice quiet and soothing. Hermione briefly explained, and Tonks looked outraged, and went to join Fred and George in the tirade against Ron. Lupin, however, examined Hermione carefully, then slipped an arm around ehr shoulders, and turned her to face the crowd of redheads. Taking out his wand, he pointed it at his throat and muttered "Sonorus." He winked at Hermione, then lifted his chin and shouted at the mass of bodies.

"EXCUSE ME EVERYONE, BUT HERMIONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK!" Immediately, all movement and noise stopped, and every head turned to Hermione. She found it quite unnerving, until Lupin turned to her and said, in his normal voice, "Go ahead, Hermione." She smiled up at him gratefully, and moved forward slightly. Her eyes fixed on Ron, and he opened his mouth as if to speak to her.

"No Ron," she said immediately. "I don't want any explanations or excuses. We're both adults, so I'm sure we can forget the..." Her mind span as she sought the right word. "Unexpected circumstances that led to this." Ron's jaw dropped in disbelief. Hermione turned and was about to leave when Ron's voice sounded far too loudly behind her.

"I've been seeing Parvati for 5 months!" he blurted out. Everyone in the room, except Hermione and Lupin ran to attack him, but a few firecrackers from the tip of Hermione's wand made them all freeze before they reached him. As Hermione's wand arm lowered to point directly at Ron's face, every person in the vicinity backed to the sides of the room. Ron began to sweat, and his eyes darted to his family for help. But no help came. The twins did, in fact, look gleeful. Hermione slowly moved forward. Her legs hit the wooden table, and her wand touched the tip of Ron's nose.

"Do you mean to tell me," she began in a soft voice, which none the less carried though the deathly quiet kitchen. "That you have been cheating on me with that... thing, for. Five. Bloody. Months?" She punctuated the last three words by pressing her wand harder against Ron's nose. He whimpered pitifully and jerked his head down slightly. Hermione stared straight at him for what seemed like forever, then pulled her wand away and pocketed it. "You're not even worth the effort," she said, and she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

_**Comments?**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or locations etc. That honour belongs to a writer far more talented than I. **_

Walking into her room, she shut the door quietly and walked to stand before the mirror. Hermione gazed sadly at her reflection, "_What am I going to do now?" _she thought to herself. A last, a silent tear escaped her eye and slipped down her cheek. She brushed it away angrilly, and turned to her trunk. She quickly dug around in it, until she found her leather bound diary. It was a big, old book, one that her mother had bought for her from Flourish and Blotts all those years ago, when she had first gone to Diagon Alley before her first year at Hogwarts. Sitting on her bed, she crossed her legs and tapped the diary twice with her wand. The cover flipped open, and she flipped through the pages until she found the blank sheets after her last entry. She pointed her wand at the desk in the corner and wordlessly summoned a quill and ink.

Her hand hovered over the page, quill in hand, dripping black ink on the clean page. But she didn't know what to write. How in the name of Merlin was she supposed to write how she felt at this moment. Hermione cursed, something that she didn't do often, and stared blankly at the page. For the second time that day, there was a soft tap at the door. She glanced up and sighed.

"Who is it?" she called. The door opened slightly, and Ginny's red hair and freckled face popped around the door.

"Mione, can we come in? We'd like to talk to you." Hermione smiled slightly and nodded her consent. Ginny opened the door fully, and walked into the room, followed by Molly, Fred, George, Harry and Remus. Molly sat on the bed next to Hermione and pulled her close for a hug. Hermione took a deep breath, and smelt the comforting scent of the Burrow and home-cooking on Molly's robes. She held tightly to her second mother, and soon felt her own shoulder grow damp. She pulled back and smiled warmly at Molly, who was unashamedly crying.

"Mrs Weasley, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned for this woman who she loved so much. Molly pulled a large flowrey handkerchief from her apron pocket and blew her nose noisily.

"I'm just s-so s-sorry that my b-boy did this to y-you," she sobbed. Hermione held Molly's hands and looked into her bright grey eyes. She smiled sadly.

"Molly, if I'm completely honest, I knew that Ron and I could never last." Molly gasped slightly through her sobs, but she didn't interrupt. "He's just so... Ron, and I know him far too well for us to ever really get anywhere." From his position near the window, Harry nodded slightly. This was the same reason he would never attempt to go out with Hermione. She was more like his sister, and he could see now that that was how Ron and Hermione felt about each other as well. Molly nodded slowly, and smiled as she stroked Hermione's wavy brown hair. It had long since lost the untamed bushiness of school and smoothed out until it was just a mass of think, glossy waves.

"We've been talking," Molly began, "And we've decided it would be best if we sent Ron back to the Burrow." Hermione shook her head quickly, but Molly stopped her. "Hermione, you're family just as much as Ron is. I may not have given birth to you and Harry, but I still think of you both as my children, and I have since we first met. So no arguments. If you decide you don't want to stay here, that's fine. We have plently of places where you can go." Hermione smiled, and nodded slightly. Molly squeezed her hand tightly, then stood up and moved way. She was immediately replaced by Harry, Ginny, Fred and George, the latter two of which bounced on the bed before settling down.

"So, Hermione," Fred began, before he was interrupted by Ginny.

"Mione, I'm so, SO sorry about Ron. I hope you never speak to the arse again. I'm certainly not." Hermione rolled her eyes slightly, then jumped on her friend, hugging her tightly.

"I love you Ginny, do you know that?" Ginny laughed and hugged Hermione back, while the three men exchanged shocked glances. The girls broke apart, and giggled slightly at the looks on Fred and George's faces. Harry was slightly more composed as he put his arm around Hermione's shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze.

"Hermione, what do you want to do now?" he asked quietly. Hermione looked at her hands, which were twisting together in her lap. She thought about it for a while, then looked at Harry.

"Well... I need to stay in London, just because it's easier to get to work if I'm here. But I can't stay at Grimmauld Place. Not after..." Her voice trailed into silence. Harry gave her another squeeze.

"I'm sure we can find you somewhere to stay, Mione," he said quietly. He looked up at Ginny, but she wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, she was looking intently at her twin brothers, a suspiciously Molly Weasley-ish look on her heart shaped face. Fred and George looked from their sister, to Hermione, to each other, then back to Ginny. Her expression didn't change.

"You know, Gin, if you hadn't interrupted me before, this would already be sorted," Fred said matter-of-factly. Ginny smiled, and turned back to Hermione. Fred and George also looked straight at her. Hermione was slightly scared by their broad grins. What were they up to?

"So Hermione," Fred began again, the smile not leaving his face.

"We were wondering," George continued, an identical grin on his own face.

"If you would like..."

"To come and live with us..."

"Above our shop?" Fred finished, and the twins smiles turned into identical pleading, puppy-dog faces. Hermione looked at them both, then at Ginny and Harry. Harry smiled slightly and shrugged.

"I think it's a good idea," Harry said simply. Hermione stared at him, slightly bewildered, then looked at the red headed twins in front of her.

"Well, I suppose it is close to work, and here..." she said quietly. Fred and George grinned.

"So, you're coming then?" Hermione smiled in response, and nodded. The twins looked at each other, then turned back t Hermione yetb again, their faces suddenly very serious.

"Okay Granger, since you're going to be living with us, you're going to need some ground rules," George explained.

"There are rules?" Hermione asked in disbelief. Fred nodded.

"Indeed there are, Granger. So, Rule Number One. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the flat that doesn't look dangerous or experimental." Hermione raised one eyebrow at Fred's comment, then looked quickly at George as he began speaking.

"Rule Number Two. If we come home drunk, do not lecture us on the dangers of alcohol, and don't try and take advantage of us, or we may take advantage of you." This was said with a large wink from George, and Hermione began to wonder what in Merlin's name she had gotten herself into.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or locations etc. R&R**_

The next morning, Hermione was packed and ready to leave when she went down to breakfast in the basement kitchen. When she entered, she found Molly bustling around the kitchen cooking, while Harry, Ginny and George sat at the table talking. They all looked up when she entered and smiled broadly.

"Morning all!" Hermione said brightly, her exterior a lot calmer than her insides. Ginny patted the seat next to her, and Hermione sat down. Almost instantly, Molly was by her side, a large plate of toast in her hands. Four more plates were floating along behind her, and each had generous portions of sausage, bacon, fried eggs, baked beans, hash browns and grilled tomatoes. The plates landed in front of the four sitting at the table, and Molly placed the toast between them.

"Dig in now, dear," she said to Hermione. "I'm still not sure how well my boys can cook, so you'd best have one last decent meal in you before you leave. George, who had been in the process of shoveling bacon into his mouth, now looked extremely insulted, and swallowed what was in his mouth.

"Mother, I'm shocked that you still think Fred and me can't cook. We're dab hands in the kitchen, I'll have you know!" he said loudly, before again piling food down his throat. Hermione smiled slightly in George's direction, more to herself than to him, but George, being who he was, took it the wrong way, and gave her a large wink, before saying, "Don;t worry Granger, we promise not to poison you too soon." With that he grabbed a last piece of toast and stood up. "So, is all of your stuff packed in your trunk? Because if it is, I'll go get it and we can be off." Hermione looked quickly at Harry.

"Don't we have to wait for Fred?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"No. He had to go and sort out a few things at the Hogsmeade branch before work tomorrow, so he said he'd meet us there," George said breezily, before he walked out. They heard him run up the stairs. Molly followed soon after, leaving Hermione with her two best friends. She felt like crying again.

"Well, I guess this is see you," she said quietly. Harry reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. "You know where we are," he said as he stared into her dark eyes, smiling slightly at the nerves he saw in their depths. Hermione smiled back, and the three of them stood up. Ginny gave Hermione a big hug, holding tightly. Just as the two stepped away from each other, George came in, levitating Hermione's trunk behind him.

"You nearly ready?" he asked lightly. Hermione nodded, and gave Harry a brief hug. He turned to George, and the two men shook hands.

"Take care of her, George," Harry said seriously.

"Jeeze Harry, you make it sound like I'm marrying the girl," he joked. When Harry's face remained stern, he said "Don;t worry boy, we'll make sure she comes to no harm, and if Ron even tries to get near her, he'll have his arse hexed to Thailand." Harry nodded, and released George's hand, then stepped back to stand beside Ginny. George put Hermione's trunk in the middle of the large fireplace, then stood on one side. Hermione gave her friends a last smile and wave, before joining him on the trunk's other side.

George smiled brightly, before casting a handful of Floo powder into the grate at his feet. Immediately, emerald green flames erupted, enveloping the pair in it's light. George shouted,"93 Diagon Alley," and Hermione felt herself being pulled up, spinning rapidly. She closed her eyes and tucked in her elbows as they contnued to spin, faster and faster, until eventually they began to slow down, and then Hermione fell out of another fireplace and landed on her back. She sat up slowly, and tried, unsuccessfully, to rub her sore back.

"That's going to bruise," George said laughingly, as he stood there looking completely unruffled. From her seat on the floor, Hermione glared up at his smiling face. Geroge's grin never faltered under her harsh stare. Instead, he held out his hand to help her up. Giving him one final glare, Hermione grasped George's hand and was promptly pulled to her feet. Hermione wasn't quite ready for the forcefulness, and stumbled slightly when she was on her feet.

George's free arm came around her waist to steady her as she fell against his chest. Her hand came up to his shoulder as her entire body collided with his. Hermione's breath hitched slightly at the contact, and she glanced up at George's face before pushing away. George was very quiet and very still, not at all his usual self. _Since when has Hermione been so... female?! _he thought to himself. Hermione smiled shakily.

"George Weasley, just what did you think you were doing?" she joked. George mentally shook himself and smiled broadly.

"I could ask you the same question, Granger," he replied, a cheeky twinkle in his dark brown eyes. Hermione's smile faltered slightly. This wasn't right. What was she doing, flirting with George Weasley? She'd just broken up with his brother. And besides that, he was completely wrong for her. He was a prankster, she followed the rules. He co-owned a joke shop, she worked at the Ministry of Magic. George took another couple of steps back and drew his wand. He pointed it at her trunk, which immediately hovered a foot off the ground. "I'd better show you where you'll be sleeping. Then I'll give you a tour of the flat."

The flat above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was large and spacious, comprising a very big kitchen with a dining room table, a living room, three bedrooms, and a bathroom. George led Hermione down the corridor to the last door on the right and let her enter first. The bedroom was tastefully decorated (surprisingly) is soft shades of lavender with dark purple curtains at the windows and a carpet of the same shade. Hermione loved the room on sight.

"Oh George, it's gorgeous!" she exclaimed in awe. George smiled as he set her trunk in the corner. He and Fred had stayed up late with their mum trying to decide how best to decorate this room for the girl next to him.

"It's nothing," he said dismissively, before leading her to the kitchen. "Tea?" he asked. Hermione nodded and sat at the scrubbed wooden table, so like the one at the Burrow, as George poked his wand at the kettle on the stove, which immediately began to steam. He summoned sugar from the pantry and milk from the fridge (he and Fred both agreed that some Muggle appliances were far more useful than wizards gave them credit for) and put them both on the table. He then placed a large mug of tea next to Hermione. She smiled her thanks and added a sugar and a dash of milk, stirred it and took a sip.

"So listen," George said, as he looked at his watch. "I've just got to go and help Fred out downstairs for a bit, so make yourself at home. We shouldn't be too long. If you're good tonight, we might even throw you a "Welcome In" party." And with a last wink, George left the flat and Hermione heard his retreating footsteps going down the stairs to the shop.

Hermione nervously gazed around at her new home. When she used to think of moving in with a Weasley, it never once crossed her mind that the Weasley in question would in fact be the twins. But she thought she might actually prefer this to living with Ron. There was no possibility of one of them hurting her, because she didn't know them well enough for that. Getting up, Hermione walked back down the corridor to her new room, and started to unpack her trunk. That trunk had gone literally everywhere with her since she was 11. It still bore the purple Hogwarts emblem, is somewhat faded, and the bold scarlet and gold of the Gryffindor shield. She smiled, then opened it and began to unpack.

Fred and George clambered up the stairs to their flat. Sorting the shop out for work on Monday had taken a bit longer than they anticipated, and the carrying of heavy boxes had taken a lot out of them, even though they were both fairly muscular from their six years of gruelling Quidditch practice. George opened the door at the top of the stairs and smelt the heavenly aroma of roast beef. He turned to look at Fred, who was staring at him in shock, and the pair hurried into the kitchen. They froze in the doorway when they saw the amazing spread Hermione had put on the table. There were carrotts, peas, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, mashed sweede, broccolli and gravy, and there was enough to feed the entire Weasley family plus a few more. Hermione was just pouring three glasses of butterbeer.

"Urm, Hermione?' Fred said slowly. The girl turned and looked at the pair, a smile gracing her features. She carried the full glasses to the table and put them by the place settings.

"I hope you don't think I'm being too bold," Hermione said quickly. "But you were still working, and it was getting late, and I know how much you Weaslet boys like your food, so I just thought I'd..."

"Hermione!" She stopped speaking at George's tone of voice. Her smile faltered as she looked at his face, trying to read the emotion in his eyes. Finally, he smiled gently. "This looks amazing." Hermione gave an inward sigh of relief and grinned. Fred immediately jumped into his seat and began piling his plate with food. George however, walked around the table and held out Hermione's chair for her. Fred's fork froze midway between his plate and his mouth, and his jaw dropped. Hermione stared into George's eyes and frowned slightly, but when he just smiled, she moved forward and sat down.

"Thank you," she all but whispered. George nodded in acknowledgement, then took his own seat. He glanced at the look on his twins face and chuckled in amusement. "I don't have the manners or a troll, Fred," he joked. Fred snapped his mouth shut and nodded his head vigorously in agreement. "Yeah," he said. "We're not all like Ron." Hermione's smile left her face faster than you could say 'Quidditch'. George glared daggers at his brother, before turning to her.

Hermione couldn't breathe properly. It was too stuffy in the large kitchen. She needed to leave, to get some air. Ever so slowly, she pushed her chair backwards and rose to her feet. Fred and George promptly stood as well.

"Is it just me, or is it hot in here?" Hermione asked, more to herself. Fred began to speak, to apologise, but she cut him off. "I'm just going for a quick walk. Get some air, you know?" With that, she hurried out of the kitchen and Disapparated from the living room. George stared at the door, then rounded on his brother.

"You idiot! What did you do that for?" he said heatedly. Fred's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"I... I didn't mean... It just kind of... slipped out..." His voice trailed into silence when he saw his brother's face. George strode to the fire, grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the jar on the mantle, and threw it nto the flames. He said "12 Grimmauld Place," and stuck his head into the emerald flames. His head span, and the next second, he was staring out of the fireplace at his sister's back.

"Ginny!" he hissed. He saw her jump, and turn quickly, her wand out of her pocket in a flash. Her face registered a second of shock when she saw his head in the fire, but it soon passed and she crouched by the grate.

"George, what..." she began, but he cut her off.

"Gin, I need either you or Harry over here as soon as you can." Ginny frowned. George did a mental double take it this - she looked exactly like their mother. It was terrifying.

"Why?" Ginny asked suspiciously. "What do you need us for?" George was about to explain, when he heard the kitchen door open.

"What does who need who for?" said Harry's voice from George's right. Ginny looked over at him and beckoned, and then Harry himself was kneeling beside Ginny.

"Hey George, what's up?" he asked. George was beginning to panic slightly. He had no idea how long he had been here, and he didn't know where Hermione had gone.

"Listen you two, Hermione's gone. Fred..." He didn't get any further, because the pair in front of him began speaking loudly. "She WHAT!?!?" "What did you do??" "We'll be there in a second." "Don't do ANYTHING without us!" With this outburst finished, the both Apparated out of view, presumably to the flat. George pulled himself back, and found Fred standing with Harry and Ginny on either side of him.

"Right, Ginny and me'll check Diagon Alley and her parents house, Fred you go check the Burrow. She may have gone there. George, stay here in case she comes back." Harry and Ginny held hands, and Disapparated again. George turned to look at Fred, about to ask why he hadn't left as well, but he stopped when he saw the considering look on his twin's face.

"What?" he asked. Fred shook his head slightly, still looking perplexed.

"I was just wondering why you care so much where Hermione's gone," he said slowly. George looked askance.

"I don't! I just want to make sure she's ok, after your stupid slip." Fred began to smirk.

"If you say so, brother," he said, and then he too left. George sat heavilly on the sofa. and stared at his hands.

"I don't care," he muttered.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, locations, etc. **_

_**--**_

Hermione silently slipped into the Leaky Cauldron and went to sit in the furthest corner or the pub. Tom, the ancient bar man, came over and asked for her order. She smiled and asked for an iced pumpkin juice. Tom soon returned with her drink and Hermione sat in silence, slowly sipping her drink as she gazed around at the few other customers. Hermione smiled as she saw two house elves arguing at a table quite near her. Thanks to her appointment to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, she had been able to further SPEW and had managed to get a lot of house elves to agree to wages and holidays (though they still objected to wearing clothes).

Hermione's gaze shifted so that she was looking out of the window onto the quiet Muggle street where the pub was situated. It had started to snow as she walked down Diagon Alley, and now there was a veritable blizzard outside. She looked at her watch - 11:13pm. Hermione began to wonder if she should go back home... No, wait. Back to the twins flat. She grimaced and put four sickles on the table, then stood and walked out the back door of the Leaky Cauldron. She quickly performed a heat charm, and the air around her warmed considerably as she stepped over to the brick wall and tapped it three times with her wand. The wall quickly transformed into the entrance to the magical world and she walked into the nearly empty street.

She was halfway back to the shop, when someone grabbed her arm. Out of instinct born of years of training for the war, Hermione's wand was out and at her assailant's throat before she could say Quidditch.

"Her-Hermione?" gasped Parvati. Hermione lowered her wand and stared coldly at the woman before her. Parvati straightened her robes and smiled slightly at her. Hermione slowly raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. The icy fury in Hermione's gaze made Parvati's smile falter, and finally slip from her face.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked, her eyes not leaving Parvati's. She watched as Parvati swallowed repeatedly, trying to find the words to explain her actions to Hermione, or to apologize. After the seventh time, Hermione shook her head and chuckled. "You know what, Parvati? I don't even want to know." That being said, she pushed passed the stuttering girl and continued up the street. She didn't see Parvati's small smirk as she walked away.

--

George looked up as the door to the flat opened and a very snow covered Hermione walked in. He immediately stood and stormed across the small space between them, until they were standing practically nose to nose.

"Just where in Merlin's pants do you think you've been for the last FIVE BLOODY HOURS?!" he asked, enraged at the confused and innocent look on Hermione's beautiful face. _What? Beautiful?! No, normal. It's Hermione. _George mentally shook himself, and continued to glare down at the petite brunette standing in front of him. She glared right back.

"George Weasley, what I do with my life, and where I go for five hours, has absolutely NOTHING to do with YOU!" she yelled at him. They stood there glowering at each other for several minutes before they heard a loud crack and two smaller pops from the kitchen.

"Oi, George! Where are you?" came Fred's familiar voice. George grinned wickedly and grabbed Hermione by the arm, then began dragging her to the kitchen. When she resisted (by squirming, punching and kicking, I might add), George bent over and flipped Hermione onto his shoulder.

"Put. Me. DOWN!" she screamed, but George simply ignored her and continued into the kitchen. He was greeted by the shocked faces of his twin, sister and his sister's boyfriend, all open mouthed at the sight of Hermione's rear-end preceeding her head into the kitchen. George unceremoniously dropped said rear-end into a chair and smiled broadly. Ginny hurried to her friend and checked for any damages, while sending threatening glances at George. Harry sat down opposite Hermione, his brow furrowed in thought. Hermione took a deep breath and looked straight at George.

"George Weasley, how dare-"

"Hermione, why did you run off?" Harry's quiet question cut Hermione off, and her head snapped round to face her best friend so fast, she could swear she heard it click. Harry's emerald gaze seemed to see straight into her, and Hermione looked down at her knees, just so she woudn't have to look at him anymore. Hermione saw his hand reach out to take hers, and blinked back the tears which were threatening to fall on their joined hands.

"Harry, I... I'm sorry. It's just that Fred..." Before she could say anymore, Ginny rounded on her brother, red hair whipping around her. Fred swallowed audibly at the look on his sister's face, and started backing towards the door.

"Fred... What did you do?" Ginny asked quietly, her voice barely a whisper. Fred tried to smile, and failed miserably. He continued to retreat from the very Mrs Weasley-ish look in Ginny's eyes.

"Tea, Mum? I mean, Ginny??" Fred paled at his mistake, and Ginny's glare seemed to become even more terrifying.

"What did you do, Fred?" she asked again. Fred pulled at the collar of his shirt and ganced at his twin. George stood leaning against the counter, arms folded across his chest, wearing a look of absolute delight at Fred's misfortune. Fred swallowed again, then planted his feet firmly in the doorway and looked straght over his sister's head as he answered.

"Well, I kind of mentioned Ron..." He faltered at the look Harry shot him. Before Ginny could speak, or yell, as the case was, George calmly said, "Fred, maybe you could go and stay with Charlie for a couple of days. Just while Ginny cools down a bit." Fred nodded silently, and went to gather some things, before Apparating out of the flat. George tapped the kettle with his wand and it immeditatly started to boil. Pointing to a cupboard, he levitated four mugs out and they floated to the table. Immediately, a jug of milk, bowl of sugar and a large chocolate cake joined the mugs, closely followed by a tea pot. While George was making the tea, Ginny sat beside Hermione and placed a hand over her friends'. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Harry, Ginny. I really appriciate you coming over, but right now I'd just like to get used to staying here, if that's ok with everyone?" She opened her eyes and found herself looking directly at George. He nodded slightly, and two of the mugs disappeared. Ginny smiled warmly, and stood up, leaning over to hug Hermione.

"You call us if you need anything, okay?" she said gently. Hermione nodded and smiled as she stood up to hug Harry. He didn't say a word, but his eyes spoke volumes. He held her tightly, and Hermione blinked hard to stop from crying into his shoulder. Instead she pulled away and smiled brightly up at him.

"I'll be fine Harry. George'll look after me." He nodded once and gave her a tight lipped smile, then he and Ginny Disapparated with a pop. Hermione turned to the tall redhead, who shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked at her.

"Well," George began cheerily. "I guess it's just us!" Hermione smiled.

"I guess so."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: First of all, I'm amazingly sorry this has taken so long to update! Please don't hate me! Secondly, I hope this will be the first of any updates over the next few weeks, because you all deserve it so much for sticking with me. And lastly, I do not own anything concerned with Harry Potter (although I wish I owned Fred, because I love him), the only thing about this which is mine is the story. Enjoy! Comment's appreciated =]**

The next day, Hermione really didn't want to get out of bed. Pulling the duvet up over her head, she snuggled down in an attempt to ignore the bright daylight streaming through her bedroom window. She didn't want to face the day, and more importantly, she didn't want to face the man she was now living with.

George Weasley. Hermione felt very strange when she thought about him. She'd known him for more than half of her life, and had never thought of him as anything more than Ron's brother – a trickster and funny man who had no concept of what being serious was. Now though , things were different. She couldn't exactly place how she felt, but it was odd. Hermione groaned and thrust the duvet down the bed as she clambered out and grabbed a towel. A hot shower ought to sort out her extremely jumbled thoughts. That wasn't the case. After showering, dressing and pulling her hair back into a loose bun, Hermione realised she couldn't put off seeing George any longer. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and marched down the hall to the kitchen. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her.

George was stood on a kitchen chair, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. Hermione's jaw dropped. _He is seriously HOT! _she thought as she watched him scrabbling around on the top of a cupboard. She heard him grumble "Come here you ruddy cat," and realising what he was doing, called for Crookshanks.

George swore as the ball of orange fluff that was Hermione's cat hurtled off the top of the cabinet and jumped into her arms. Turning sharply, George lost his balance and began to fall. It seemed to Hermione that he paused for a moment, balanced on one foot and with his arms stretched wide as he tried to stay upright, but that didn't last for long, and he toppled to the floor with an almighty crash.

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from laughing (it was a rather funny sight, after all). George's groan spurred her into action, and she hurried around the table to his side. He was sprawled on the floor, surrounded by splinters of wood from the chair which he had previously been standing on. Kneeling beside his prone body, Hermione carefully lifted his head.

"George, are you alright?" she asked. He groaned again and lifted a hand to his head.

"What do you think?" he asked irritably. "That fur-ball of yours goes and gets himself stuck on top of the cupboard, so I try and help him out and the pair of you nearly kill me. I'm bloody fantastic." Hermione cleared her throat slightly before replying.

"He's a cat George," she said quietly. George cracked open one brown eye and glared at her.

"You're point?"

"He probably wasn't stuck… There was no need for you to try and get him down, he likes sitting on top of cupboards." George groaned again and closed his eye, dramatically flinging his arm over his face.

"You mean I'm in pain for no reason?" he asked. Hermione nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see. Carefully, she pulled his torso into her lap and gently stroked his hair back from his forehead. George sighed, and his lips turned up slightly at the corners. "Well, maybe it was worth it." Hermione laughed and shook her head at his light-hearted comment.

"I have to go to work." George immediately groaned.

"You can't leave me here, alone and in pain, after that monster of yours nearly killed me!" Hermione pulled out her wand and uttered a quick incantation to determine the extent of the damage her 'monster' had done.

"You're absolutely fine, you idiot. A few bruises and a headache." George opened his eyes and looked up at her, a devious smile playing across his mouth.

"Damn. It usually works," he said, and with that he sat up and jumped to his feet. Hermione followed suit, dusting off her skirt. She looked up at George and smiled, but he wasn't smiling anymore. In fact, his face had gone incredibly red and he looked very sheepish. Hermione was about to ask what was wrong when she remembered the state of undress George had first been in when she entered the kitchen.

"Oh," she said lamely. George reached up a hand and nervously tugged at his hair, which was currently a perfect match for his face.

"Um, I'd better go…" began George. Hermione nodded slightly.

"Yes, me too," she replied as she grabbed her bag and started rummaging inside it.

"Have to get dressed."

"I'm late for work."

"Yes."

"Yes… Right." They both glanced up at the same moment, and their gazes caught. Hermione felt as though her heart had stopped beating. All she could do was stare into George's dark brown eyes and wonder…

A knock on the door broke the silence, and George cleared his throat to cover the awkward silence that filled the room. Hermione smiled slightly and shouldered her bag.

"I'll see you later," she mumbled, and with that she hurried for the front door. George took a deep breath and began to follow her. He saw her hand on the front door and was about to call out her name when it opened and Fred tumbled past Hermione.

"Sorry, Hermione, didn't mean to nearly knock you out," he said brightly.

"No worries, Fred. I've got to go." And with that she turned on her heel and Disapparated out of the flat. Fred turned to his twin looking slightly bemused.

"What's up with her?" he asked, and for once in his life, George had absolutely no answer for his twin.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Super short chapter this time (for which I apologise) but the next one is hopefully going to be amazing. It is in my head, anyway. Yet again, I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter (shame, really). Hope you enjoy, R&R!**

The next week passed in a blur for George, and before he knew it, it was Christmas Eve. It was the second busiest day of the year for the twins (the first being April Fools, of course) and they usually spent their time leaping around the Diagon Alley branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes trying to sell as much as they could before closing time. But today was different. Today, George couldn't concentrate.

He incorrectly explained how Canary Creams worked to a boy who wanted to buy something for his girlfriend, set off a whole box of Wildfire Whiz-Bangs by accident, and mistook a Fainting Fancy for a normal sweet which resulted in him passing out in the middle of the shop. A frowning Fred hurried to his side.

"Alright ladies and gents, move along. There's nothing to see here. My brother's just having a joke at everyone's expense!" This raised a chorus of laughter from the customers as Fred quickly levitated George into the back room, signalling for their shop assistant to take over. Once the door was closed, Fred leaned against it and sighed as he surveyed his brother.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Georgie?" he murmured, before pulling an all-purpose-antidote tablet out of his pocket and stuffing it down his twin's throat. Moments later, George's eyes blinked rapidly as he began to wake up.

"Fred? What happened?" he asked blearily. Fred grinned at his twin.

"You fainted, brother dear. It was really quite impressive." George stared at Fred in shock.

"I didn't faint."

"Oh, believe me, you did," Fred replied, laughing at the expression of disbelief on George's face. "Out like a light. They probably heard you hit the floor all the way over at Gringotts." Slowly, to give his body time to adjust, George sat up and put his head in his hands.

"I don't believe this," he muttered. Fred transfigured a small box into a glass and filled it with water, which he then handed to his brother.

"What don't you believe, twin? That that you fainted, or that you fancy Hermione Granger?" George choked on his water.

"What?" he spluttered. "What are you talking about? I don't fancy Hermione!" Fred watched his brother talk himself into silence, a small grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye.

"You keep telling yourself that, Georgie. You might even convince me of it one day." Still smiling, Fred left George sitting in the back room, dazed and open mouthed. Christmas at the Burrow was going to be interesting this year...


End file.
